KUALA LUMPUR – There were no emails from Prof Edmund Terence Gomez alleging misconduct by Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Tan Sri Azam Baki, reiterated Tan Sri Abu Zahar Ujang.
Abu Zahar, who is Anti-Corruption Advisory Board (LPPR) chairman, told Utusan Malaysia that the board’s administration is still waiting for the emails Gomez claimed to have sent.
“Not a single email was received. I also checked with the administration and they said no letter was received. Gomez’s statement has tarnished my integrity,” he was quoted as saying.
Yesterday, it was reported that Gomez said he was informed that Abu Zahar received his letter on the alleged wrongdoing involving Azam Baki.
Gomez alleged that he was told to refer the matter to LPPR member Datuk Seri Akhbar Satar, who apparently told Gomez that Abu Zahar had received the letter.
Akhbar was reported as saying that Gomez reached out to him to get Abu Zahar’s email address but was given the LPPR secretariat’s email address instead.
Days ago, Consultation and Corruption Panel (PPPR) chairman Tan Sri Borhan Dolah said recent email exchanges between the panel and former member Gomez were not related to the latter’s dissatisfaction with Azam Baki.
Borhan told Berita Harian on December 27 that the two emails sent by Gomez since November did not touch on any alleged wrongdoings by Azam.
Instead, he said, Gomez had only stated his concerns about MACC facing a barrage of criticisms from several quarters and called for the panel to convene an immediate meeting to help resolve the agency’s woes.
This comes amid Gomez stepping down as PPPR member, claiming a failure to discuss accusations of conflict of interest against some of its leaders.
The academic told The Vibes that the anti-graft body must be investigated, seeing that some of its leaders have been implicated in a few articles reported by online portal Independent News Service.
“An urgent investigation is required by an independent body to ensure that MACC is led by officers of good repute,” Gomez said when asked about his resignation.
In his resignation letter to Borhan, Gomez raised his concern that there was a “nexus between business and law enforcement” and a “conflict of interest” allegedly involving members of its top leadership.
Borhan said Gomez should raise the allegations with the present department director-general Datuk Mohd Khairul Adib Abd Rahman if he has found any alleged misconduct committed by Azam, instead of reporting it to PPPR, which has no jurisdiction over the matter.
“In fact, apart from PPPR, there are several other mechanisms created to act as MACC’s check-and-balance, such as the LPPR chaired by Tan Sri Abu Zahar Ujang and the Special Committee on Corruption.” – The Vibes, January 1, 2022
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